What is A Benchtop?
Also called by names of countertop, counter, worktop or kitchen bench, benchtop is the horizontal workstation present in the different workrooms like the kitchen, laboratories, bathrooms etc. In kitchens, such a surface is used for food preparation and other food-related works.
Such a surface is supported with the help of cabinets and is kept at an ergonomic height that can be suitable for the user to perform the task easily. These surfaces are currently available in different shapes, sizes, shades, and materials and differ in their aesthetic properties widely.
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| Granite Benchtops |
The General Materials Used
The following is a list of the general materials that are used for fabricating the countertop for many days: -
- Natural stone or dimensional stone slabs, the most commonly used material that can be cut and shaped easily
- Wood, with a variety of designs and getting a smooth surface to work upon
- Silicate material like quartz and travertine
- Metals like stainless steel, copper, zinc, and aluminum
- Crafted and designer glass materials
- The concrete of precast and processed types
- Cultured and designer marbles for aesthetic purposes
- High-pressure laminates by post-forming or self-edging
- Solid surface polyester acrylic
- Epoxy and other resin materials
- Recycled glass surfaces with resin binders
- Granite and associated carbon forms
The General Properties of Granite Benchtops
Granite benchtops have the following general properties that have led to their recent widespread use as the material for fabrication of the countertops: -
- Granite is not porous and hence can withstand huge amounts of temperature, unlike that of the acrylic or polyester ones that get deformed at high temperatures.
- Quite harder surface to sustain any form of scratching and abrasion and can endure for long without straining much
- Very hygienic in nature and can be cleaned easily by any form of disinfectant, as the chemical remains inert to the basic composition of the granite
- Since obtained from a natural stone of granite, hence cutting and other fabrication options are quite easier and hence the desired shapes for the same can be obtained quite easily.
- Very affordable in terms of price and provides very good choices even at the economical ranges
- A good warranty of not getting damaged during the time of usage and hence can sustain for long
The Advantages
The following are the advantages of having granite benchtops over your kitchen spaces: -
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| Benchtops |
- Very tough and can resist very high forms of stresses, abrasions, and scratches
- Very fast installation and stays strong and intact for longer durations after installation
- Availability in wide ranges of colours and hence satisfying the required aesthetics for the customers
- Easier to clean and maintain the space
- Available at cheaper rates when compared to the other material counterparts like metals, ceramics etc.
Comparison with The Quartz
Both quartz and granite are commonly used materials for the countertops, and the proper choice lies in their basic differences which are as follows: -
- The former is fabricated from quartz and small amounts of glass that together form one of the hardest materials of earth and hence have better strength than the latter
- Former being non-porous and hence getting affected by bacteria and other microbes easily, not in the case of the latter
- Quartz having better versatility and aesthetic looks than granite but comes at higher prices than the latter
The choice of the optimal material for the benchtop is a must as it is used for a multitude of purposes. Keeping this in mind, quartz and granite would be two suitable choices, but based on their differences mentioned above, it is then up to the choice of the buyer to select the best material that best suits his purpose.
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